DP735 Planer End Effects

[Mike OMelia]

I was lucky to run across one of these for sale. $300! In perfect shape, light use. I saw it when I bought it, there are some end effects on both ends. A visible line across board and a slight apparent depth change. Is this normal? Is it technique related? I do want to eventually install a spiral head. I have a picture, but its hard to see.

Edit: Sorry, DW735

[Mike OMelia]

I saw on Amazon, infeed, outfeed tables for $46. Is that a good price?

[Cary Falk]

It is called snipe. It happens when the weight of the board overcomes the pressure of the outfeed roller and the end of the board raises up into the knives. Infeed and outfeed tables will help as well as raising the board on the outfeed table with your hand a little as it comes out. If you get the tables set them so that the outer most ends are about the thickness of a dime above the table. Easiest way to do this is to get a level or straight edge and set it on 2 dimes at each end of the table. Raise the ends of the tables to touch.

[Brian Henderson]

You're getting snipe. It's what happens when the board is no longer supported by both the infeed and outfeed rollers. You might notice that, at the end, the board slaps down on the planer outfeed. That's snipe. It's not that hard to fix, you can just run another sacrificial board through before and after, those boards will get the snipe and your workpiece will not, you can support the piece feeding in and out, which will minimize snipe, you can adjust the infeed and outfeed tables up slightly which will also minimize it. It's just inherent with the design of most lunchbox planers.

Good job on the purchase, that's a great price.

[Jack Lemley]

Sounds like you are describing "snipe. I have the DW735 with the Byrd head on it and the extension tables. I had a problem with snipe until I adjusted my tables and my technique of feeding stock through the planer. I still get a small amount of snipe but can easily be sanded out. $46 sounds like a good price for the tables to me but I haven't done a search on them so there may be a lower price out there somewhere.

Jack

[Lee Schierer]

As others have said what you are seeing is snipe and it can be cured. I have a Delta 12-/12" lunch box style planer and I eliminated snipe by mount the planer in a table with longer solid in feed and out feed tables that are exactly even with the plane bed. You can see the table in the photo below.
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[glenn bradley]

A new word for your vocabulary ;-) Snipe is a feed path control issue. In the example below the stock is feeding left to right. As it leaves the control of the infeed roller (the roller on the left) the improperly supported stock weight causes the feed path to foul. This can also be caused by the absence of a carriage lock (allowing the cutterhead assembly to shift under stress) although the DW735's design does not require one. Therefor I would look to your stock support on the infeed and outfeed as a solution. Unsupported infeed path can leave you with snipe on the leading edge as well.

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I have adjusted snipe out on dad's DW735 by raising the outer ends of the tables about 1/16" This fix only works if the stock being cut is long enough to engage the tables and be exposed to the effects of the adjustment. That is, it will work for a 30" long board but, not a 13" long board for example.

Some folks deal with snipe by hot-gluing sacrificial boards to the ends of more precious stock when additional spoil cannot be tolerated.

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This same method allows "too short" pieces to be thickness planed as well.

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HTH

[Dan Friedrichs]

"Tweaking" the height of the (optional) outfeed tables might help. Really, some degree of snipe will occur, no matter what, unless you do what Glenn suggested re: sacrificial strips. Unless the amount is excessive, you can also just ignore it (and sand it out).

[Brian Henderson]

"Tweaking" the height of the (optional) outfeed tables might help. Really, some degree of snipe will occur, no matter what, unless you do what Glenn suggested re: sacrificial strips. Unless the amount is excessive, you can also just ignore it (and sand it out).

Or you can just calculate the waste into your parts list and cut it off at the end.

[Mike OMelia]

Thank you. I do not have much experience with planers. Heard about snipe. and its not bad, easily sanded out. Just wanted to be sure I understood what was going on. I mostly build guitars, and this was an almost unneeded addition to the shop. But at $300... oh well, it has a new home and a new job to do (brace work thicknessing and shaping). I will order those infeed outfeed tables and adjust as suggested. I normally did this work on my Jet 22-44 drum sander. But its slow going that way.

[Mike OMelia]

I am not going to dive in with the spiral head just yet. But I wouldn't mind learning some. I've heard about the diameter install issue, etc. OEM diameter, or smaller, less complicated install diameter? Crap, from what I can see, Id have more in the head than I do in the machine!

[Ron Citerone]

Or you can just calculate the waste into your parts list and cut it off at the end.

This is what I do also.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Mike, try it with a fresh set of HSS knives before you decide you need spiral.

[Bill Dufour]

Sounds like you are new to running a planer and snipe. Just one safety tip make sure no board is shorter then the center to center horizontal distance of the infeed and outfeed rollers. This is probably around 6-12 inches longe ron bigger machines.. If you ignore this rule the board can float up into the cutterhead and break/jam/throw expensive stuff right at your face and torso.
Bill

[Nick Decker]

... I normally did this work on my Jet 22-44 drum sander. But its slow going that way.

In that case, you'll soon appreciate your drum sander even more, as it deals with snipe removal very quickly. The snipe on my planer is rarely more than a few thousandths. Couple of passes through the sander, snipe be gone. :)

[Mark Bolton]

Snipe on those planers is completely hit and miss. Some can be cured with board support, others will snipe regardless of what you do.

True snipe has nothing to do with board support at all. It has to do with flexure in the head. The board enters the planer and the infeed side of the head rocks up slightly under load (taking slack/backlash out of the posts), then on the outfeed end the reverse happens. Hence your issues on both ends of the work. Even large commercial planers often can suffer from snipe and no amount of board support or lifting the in-feed or out-feed side of the board will make an ounce of difference.

We ran thousands of feet of material through a 735 that we had as a job site planer. You could lift up on the infeed board so much that you would raise the planer off the table, and then move the outfeed side and do the same, and you would still have snipe. You could bolt the planer to the table so you couldnt lift the planer at all and you could put as much upward lift on the in and out feed as you wanted and you would still get snipe.

The reason it happened regardless of supporting, or excessively raising, the in and out feed side of the board is because its simply flexure in the head.

Some 735's have a lot. Some have a little, some have none, and some have so little that its minimized enough that with additional support (in and outfeed tables) its acceptable.

The answer is to just plan the loss into your project. A planer is a roughing tool. Its not meant to leave you a finished surface. Some people who may not suffer from snipe may take 1/64" passes or less (very light).

Use your planer for what it is. A roughing tool. Be honest with yourself that your knives will be perfect for one board and one board only then you will see nicks, and defects in your surface that will require sanding. Swap your knives often to avioid burnishing which will haunt you in finishing especially if you use waterborne finishes.

Just my .02

[Mike OMelia]

In that case, you'll soon appreciate your drum sander even more, as it deals with snipe removal very quickly. The snipe on my planer is rarely more than a few thousandths. Couple of passes through the sander, snipe be gone. :)

Yeah, not overly worried. Just bought the feed tables.

[Ron Citerone]

<p>

The reason it happened regardless of supporting, or excessively raising, the in and out feed side of the board is because its simply flexure in the head. Some 735's have a lot. Some have a little, some have none, and some have so little that its minimized enough that with additional support (in and outfeed tables) its acceptable. The answer is to just plan the loss into your project. Mark is so right here I can't stand it, (lol) The length of the lost wood is 2.5 to 3&quot; on each end on my portable planers. You can use a part that has some sap wood or sometning else you don't want in you finished project to get cut off. The ends of the board probably have hairline cracks etc. that you will cut off to square the piece many times any way. When gluing pieces for a panel offsetting the pieces reduces waste by 50%. I just don't see how the cost of the cutoffs can ever justify the cost of heliptical cutters except in a high production environment. (and you might end up with snipe any way) I have a dry sink that I made 20 years ago that I thought I sanded the snipe out, but in the right light I still see it............cut it off and use it to smoke your pork roast........you will be a happy man! My 2 cents. Ron</p>

[Mike OMelia]

Lol. As an afterthought, I went back to the seller and bought two routers (bosch 2 3/4 hp, PC 891, full kits), some bits, a router table, some wood, and a DW364 circular saw. All tools were light use. I've sold all of that (except circular saw), and now I got my planer down to $250. If I sell the saw, I'll have it down to $125. A bargain!

[Mike OMelia]

Even if it’s ill advised, at this price point , I’ll probably get the spiral head in a month or so. I think with the kind of work I do on guitars, it will be a good thing.

[Don Bullock]

The extension tables will help with the snipe on the DW 735. I’ve also found that running it on the slow speed helps.

[Robyn Horton]

I do what Don says , Run it on the slow speed with the extension tables and the extension tables up about the thickness of a dime . I do have a Bryd head in mine and there is no snipe to speak of on it

[Grant Wilkinson]

Mike: If you do go with the spiral head, do it for reasons of finish, not snipe. The spiral head will do nothing for the snip issue with the 735.

[Jason Parkerson]

Slightly lift the leading board as it enters the machine until both rollers are engaged and lift the last board as it exits. For smaller stock, overlap the boards by a few inches (assuming they are less than half the width of the machine). This helps even out the wear on the blades as well.

Take a much smaller cut on the final pass. (1/4 turn of wheel)

For wider stock or laziest sake I sometimes just add ~4" to both ends for waste and not bother with the techniques above.

[Chris Hachet]

Even if it’s ill advised, at this price point , I’ll probably get the spiral head in a month or so. I think with the kind of work I do on guitars, it will be a good thing.Absolutely if you work on any kind of figured wood at all.

[Chris Hachet]

Mike: If you do go with the spiral head, do it for reasons of finish, not snipe. The spiral head will do nothing for the snip issue with the 735.But finish with figured woods, yes...

[Mike OMelia]

The extension tables will help with the snipe on the DW 735. I’ve also found that running it on the slow speed helps.

There is a speed control?

[Jim Morgan]

There is a speed control?

Two speeds. There's a lever on the left side on the front - be sure the planer is running whenever you flip it.

[Mike OMelia]

Feeling rather proud of myself. The guy who sold me the planer also sold me a bunch of other tools. Routers, saws, etc. I finally got all that stuff resold. Total cost of planer to me was $125. So, I bought some feed tables, and put lockable casters on the base he gave me. So I’m up to $200. Guess I’ll hold off on the head. Get some experience with it as is. Thanks for the advice.

[Randy Heinemann]

I have owned the DW735 for a number of years and essentially eliminate visible snipe by raising the Dewalt infeed and outfeed tables slightly at the outer edges; maybe 1/32" to 1/16". Occasionally I still put some boards through that do show noticeable snipe, but that is not common with the tables adjusted as indicated. I know the temptation is to take as much off as possible on each pass, but it is, after all, not a commercial duty planer. Therefore, I limit the depth of cut on each pass to 1/32". Takes longer to get a piece of lumber to thickness, but the result is much better. Wood is just too expensive to add 6" - 8" to each board to cut the snipe off and, sometimes it isn't possible with the board lengths available.

[Larry Frank]

I have my infeed and out feed tables tipped up by about 1/8". This is good but still some snipe.

When I can not tolerate any snipe, I use an extra board. I run all the boards I need thru the planer end to end and also run a 2 ft trash board before and after. I typically pick up some cheap pine boards to do this.

[lowell holmes]

Jason nailed it. Lift up on the end of the board as it leaves the planer. I've experienced snipe with both of the planers I've owned.

Also, you can push a board through with a piece of scrap the same thickness. That will migrate the snipe to the scrap.

[Mike OMelia]

OK, now that I got the tables installed, I see how they work. Just how do you adjust the height?

[Kevin Smira]

Mike...where in huntsville are you? Might be helpful for someone here to come show you? I don’t own a 735, but my ridgid planer has adjustment Volta to help level the infeed/outfeed tables relative to the machine itself...

BTW, I’m in Harvest/Monrovia if you are near...

[Mark Canada]

I never had the outfeed tables on my DW735, but you can virtually eliminate snipe by running one board after another (of the same thickness!!) end to end. So as one piece's end makes it to the edge of the planer you push another board up against it and keep pushing until its into the cutter - usually this requires me to stand to the side of the planer with one piece in my left end, pushing it in, and supporting the piece coming out with my right. For the last piece you can lift it up as it comes out - with flexible thicknesses of wood, it's best to use one hand as a fulcum near the planer and pull up with the other. This pushes the board down into to the table at the same time giving it a bit of a lift.


If you're working with hardwoods, blunt blades can definitely increase snipe HUGELY. Walnut I can go from barely feeling it with new blades to 2mm of snipe with blunt blades - I guess the wood gets pulled up more by the blunt blades. They also tear the wood more and give more pull out on figured sections of the wood. If you're starting to think your blades are getting just a touch blunt (pull out in figured sections) just rotate one of the 3 blades - its often enough to significantly improve the cut.


Another tip for the DW735 when installing new blades: Install all the blades pushed all the way to the right (the mounting points give you about 1/8" sideways movement) - if you start to see streaking or lines on your planed wood, and the blades are not blunt yet, push one blade across to the left. You now have the bits of blade that are causing streaking or lines offset from each other, so the clean sections will do a pass over the damaged section and clean it up - the result is like you just flipped or changed the blades. That combined with flipping just one blade can give you significantly longer blade life. You can move 2 blades, and flip two blades... so 6x the life of the blades!


If the planer is struggling to pull wood through (I find this on Beech and Maple more than anything because they are so glossy smooth after planing), brush the rollers off and give the bed a coat of Bostik GlideCote - that stuff is *incredible* an wood will glide through without the drive wheels slipping.


Finally, check over the heads on your bolts. I had one bolt head come free from the threaded section (manufacturing defect) - it was shot through the bed of the planer, then dented the top of my cast iron table saw. The whole planer jumped about 1.5" high from the shock of losing the bolt head. Trashed a whole new set of blades. The head bounced around inside the cutter area as the wood was going through, then as soon as the wood was clear it was shot through by one of the blades - pretty scary to think what would have happened if that came out the front or back of the planer rather than straight down. Given it has enough power to go straight through the sheet metal of the base and still make a dent in cast iron, that's a trip in an ambulance if it hits you! Given it's pre-owned, I'd just check to make sure the previous owner didn't overtorque the bolts. It took 2yrs for mine to let lose and I don't over torque the bolts... I've not really heard of it as an issue, but its worth checking! After a heart attack in 2016, I don't need that kind of stress in my life!

[Randy Heinemann]

The screws on the sides which hold the tables are the places to adjust the tables up or down. You just have to loosen them enough to be able to move the inner edge of the table downward till the outer edge is above the inner edge the desired amount (1/16" - 1/8"). Lay a straight edge or a board which you know is perfectly straight on edge across the 2 tables through the planer. That will show you when the tables are angled the way you want them. It might take a little experimentation but you will know when you have it right because you will notice virtually no snipe.

[Mike OMelia]

I’m in Hampton Cove. I’ll look at those screws. Did not notice there was any play in them